Visitation: No prior visitation

Service: A Celebration of Life will be held on August 10th, 2023 from 11am-2pm at Shores Waterfront Restaurant and Marina, 2 Detroit St. in Tonawanda, NY

 RICHARDS - William
Aged 69. Passed away July 26th,
2023, after a brief illness. Bill was
raised in Wilson, NY before moving
to Williamsville. He started working
at the age of 15, cleaning restaurants
and moving heavy equipment for a
local business. Soon he was repairing,
then eventually driving semi-trucks
nationwide. Bill met the love of his
life, Linda Kleinfelder while they both
worked for Transcontinent Record
Sales, the distributor for Record
Theatre, where he was a fleet manager
and delivery driver. They went on to
have two children, Adam (Katheryn)
and Carrie. Linda supported his
ambitious endeavors and multiple
personal and career accomplishments
over the years. Eventually, Bill moved
into the sales side of the automotive
industry, climbing his way to director of
operations for a major trucking supply
distributor. With decades of experience
in the transportation industry, he
evolved his focus into fuel additives
and cleaners. After working for and
leading many companies, he founded
Energy Technology Group. He took
this business from a small endeavor
to a successful enterprise, working
with industry leaders and has provided
products and support to a broad range
of markets in over 40 countries around
the world. Bill developed over 370
chemical formulations as well as several
mechanical devices and held multiple
patents. Bill prided himself on providing
education and training. He had a
unique ability to take difficult subjects
and highly complex information and
present it in an interesting and readily
understandable way to audiences at
any level. He was an avid problem
solver, had a thirst for knowledge and
devoured information about chemistry,
history, industry, and the environment.
He spent his career working to advance
fuel efficiency and practical usage of all
manner of fuel-based engines. These
qualities and decades of experience
have contributed to the success of his
business. Bill’s work legacy lives on as
he operated a multigenerational family
business and always treated every
employee like kin. Bill’s life was marked
by the unconditional love he had for
his family. He was a pillar of strength,
always there to support and guide
his loved ones through life’s ups and
downs. He dedicated his life to family
and work. He cared so deeply for the
people around him and will be forever
missed. He was kind, passionate,
funny and made a profound impact
on many lives. Along with his beloved
wife and children, Bill was an amazing
grandfather of Stella, Miles and Margot,
dear brother to Steve (Cindy) Richards,
Dan (Lori) Richards, Sharon (Ken)
Dobson, and Roxanne (Paul) Dudish,
brother-in-law to Cheryl (Nick) Powers
and a caring uncle to many nieces
and nephews. Please join our family
in celebrating Bill’s life on Thursday
August 10th, 2023 at Shores Waterfront
Restaurant and Marina, 2 Detroit St. in
Tonawanda, NY from 11am to 2 pm.
Come with a story to tell or just spend
some time with us, helping to honor Bill
and all that he has accomplished among
the family he loved so much. In Lieu
of flowers please consider a donation
to the Children’s Cancer Research
Fund. Arrangements by The DIETRICH
FUNERAL HOME, Amherst, NY.
Online condolences may be made at
www.THEDIETRICHFUNERALHOME.com